President Park Geun-hye named former five-term lawmaker Hyun Kyung-dae as executive vice chairperson of the National Unification Advisory Council on Thursday.

“Kim Hyun-uk, current executive vice chairperson, offered to resign after a meeting of the executive committee on April 30, so Park had to select his successor,” presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing said in a briefing to reporters Thursday. 

“The National Unification Advisory Council is headed by President Park and the executive vice chairperson is a title nominated by the president.”

Born in Jeju in 1939, Hyun graduated from the college of law at Seoul National University in 1964 and began his career as a prosecutor in 1971. He was first elected to the National Assembly in 1981 and was reelected four more times until 2000.

He served the council as secretary-general in 1990.

Hyun is known to be one of seven elders who give political advice to Park.

The National Unification Advisory Council is a constitutional institution which advises the president on the democratic peaceful unification of Korea.

The council has 19,950 members at home and abroad, each with a two-year term.

There are 20 vice chairpersons under the chairperson, who is the president.

By Chun Sung-woo  (swchun@heraldcorp.com)